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Tom’s and Douglas’s Barns Risk Assessment

Tom’s and Douglas’s Barns Risk Assessment

We very much want everyone to have a happy, peaceful and safe stay here in our barns, and will do our best to see that you do.

However, unforeseen accidents can happen at any time, to the most careful of people, in the most careful of homes… and of course there is an added risk for anyone in unfamiliar surroundings.

So, for your safety and peace of mind (and ours!) we have tried to foresee what could possibly arise, identifying all possible sources of ‘danger’ and advising how these can be avoided and any risks minimised.

A. Firstly, we identify people for whom the barns would not be safe or suitable at all.

B. Then we outline all possible hazards and dangers with information about how they can be avoided.

This information can be found under the following headings:

FIRE

HYGIENE, HEALTH & WELFARE

SAFETY, inside and out

A. Those for whom our two holiday cottages would be unsuitable:

With the best will in the world we cannot remove the relevant danger or inherent hazards, which make both barns unsuitable for: Any child at allAny adult who

Is ‘unsteady on their legs’

Has mobility problems or suffers from vertigo

Has significant sight impairment needing a guide dog

Needs to come with a carer, other than a partner who will be sharing their double bed.

Anyone with allergies would be recommended to stay in Douglas’s Barn, which is kept pet-free.

Please enquire if you are unsure about any possible problem you might anticipate.

B. Risk Assessment of all Possible Hazards

FIRE

This is the most obvious risk that comes to mind.

Please familiarise yourself with our more detailed separate Fire Policy instructions and statement which you will find in our information packs

On Tom’s Barn notice board tin the kitchen

On the back of the airing cupboard door in Douglas’s Barn.

ESCAPE from upstairs in the event of fire

If you need to escape from an upstairs window, use the sheets, bedding, blankets etc. to help you to escape.

If a room is filled with smoke, remember to crawl close to the floor where the air is purer.

AVOIDING the DANGER of fire: There are smoke alarms downstairs and up in both barns. We check these regularly, but for your own peace of mind we suggest that you confirm for yourself that they are working.

We provide a Fire Extinguisher and Fire Blanket in the kitchen in both barns. These are serviced annually in April by O Heap & Sons, Derby.

We have the chimney swept regularly, by Mr. Steve Ball.

Emergency lighting There are torches in the bedroom and downstairs, in each barn.

Spare batteries for torches and smoke alarms are kept:

In the desk in the kitchen in Tom’s Barn

In the ‘Emergency Drawer’ in Douglas’s Barn. (We will point this out to incoming guests but please note it is the kitchen base unit drawer nearest to the sitting room, next to the airing cupboard).

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP AVOID THE RISK OF CAUSING A FIRE We do ask you to be extremely aware of the potential dangers, of fire and consequent injury When cooking

Never ever leave anything unattended on the hob, particularly hot oil. There is a splatter guard.

When using the log burner in Tom’s Barn

We provide personal instructions on how to light and use the log burner to incoming guests, which are repeated on the back of ‘Welcome to Tom’s Barn’ laminated leaflet

Please do not let the temperature get beyond 500’F. There is a magnetic thermometer on top of the stove

The log burner is meant to be used with the door shut. Please check it is firmly closed, and ‘dampened down’ before going upstairs to bed at night.

Do not leave matches or firelighters or spare logs on top of, or close to the stove.

When using electrical equipment

Please don’t leave anything hot unattended, like the toaster or food cooking on the hob.

Ensure all electrical appliances and lights are switched off before going out or to bed.

When using candles.

The barns are cosy, romantic places, and we expect candles to be used, but please treat them with respect:

Never use candles by the bed or near anything flammable.

Never leave a lit candle unattended.

HYGIENE: YOUR HEALTH and YOUR WEFARE

Obviously hygiene and the general condition of your surroundings are vital for your health and personal safety. First Aid kit: There us a small First Aid kit provided in each barn:

In the desk in the kitchen in Tom’s Barn.

In the kitchen base unit next to the fridge in Douglas’s Barn.

Allergies and other concerns: Orchard Farm is in the country, surrounded by trees and greenery (pollen) and with working farms in the area nearby (animals and, occasionally, flies and smells)

Please discuss with us beforehand if you have special – such as bedding – requirements. We can supply anti-allergy duvets and pillows

Douglas’s Barn is kept pet free.

Tom’s Barn accepts dogs and other pets. Although always very thoroughly cleaned it is not advised for anyone with a dog or cat-based allergy.

Cleanliness

We always give each barn a totally thorough clean at each change over, however immaculately left by the outgoing guests. We pay particular attention to the kitchens, fridge/freezer, cooker and bathrooms.

We do not provide a cleaning service and would never go into the barn during a guests’ stay unless invited.

We do provide all necessary cleaning equipment and materials for you if you need them to keep up your own personal standards of hygiene and cleanliness.

We will happily do a thorough (at no cost!) clean mid-stay, at the end of each week, by mutual arrangement, for guests staying for a fortnight or longer.

Carbon Monoxide

We have placed a small Carbon Monoxide monitor near each boiler. These will set off an alarm if there is carbon monoxide present. We check, regularly, but please do too.

Central Heating There is an oil central heating boiler in each barn.

Our boilers are serviced annually by Mr. Phil Jennings.

Central heating boiler: Each barn has a programmable time switch; so individual guests can choose the timing appropriate for their needs. We want you to be as warm and as comfortable as you want to be, but please also be aware of the environmental implications and try not to be wasteful of the heat.

Radiators: These all have individual thermostatic controls.

Hot water:

In Tom’s Barn there is an immersion heater. The timing can be controlled from the heating and water programmable time switch

In Douglas’s Barn the condensing boiler provides hot water. The timing can be controlled from the heating and water programmable time switch

If you are wanting regular deep baths in Douglas’s Barn we suggest you keep the hot water onto ON throughout the day to ensure there will be enough hot water for you, and then set to come on again at the required time in the morning. Cleaning chemicals

As far as possible we use less harmful products and equipment, but

We do provide for guests’ convenience loo cleaners, dishwasher tablets, washing machine detergent, kitchen and bathroom cleaning sprays. These are kept under the kitchen sink, and/or in the bathroom.

If any guest has friends or family visiting with children, please be aware that these products should be removed somewhere where they cannot possibly be reached by the children.

Disposal of Waste Please help us by sorting your rubbish into the appropriate bin at the side of Tom’s Barn.

The rubbish is collected very early on Wednesday morning. We put the rubbish out on Tuesday evening. There is now an alternate fortnightly collection.

Food Waste: There is a small compost container, lined with a degradable bag, in both kitchens, for vegetable and fruit peelings and leftovers, cooked food, meat or fish. When the bags are full, please place them in the large green caddy outside. There is a supply are biodegradable compost bin liners under the sink.

Please rinse your tins and plastic containers!

We provide a lined kitchen rubbish bin in each barn (with a supply of spare liners under the kitchen sink).

There is a lined ‘sanny bin’ in each bathroom (a supply of spare liners under the kitchen sink).

There are lined waste paper baskets in the sitting room and bedroom.

Risk of Flooding Orchard Farm is on a gentle hillside, some distance from any flowing water, so there is little obvious danger from floodwaters as such. However, internally, one could leave a tap running with potentially serious consequences. Occasionally – usually with prior warning – Severn Trent may cut off the village water supply. If this happens it is very important to ensure that taps aren’t left on, to cause a flood when the water supply is resumed.

Please do not leave the bath, basin or kitchen sink running unattended.

It might be wise to ensure the plug is out of the basin, and kitchen sink, before going out or to bed.

When using the whirlpool jets in either bath, please use the absolute minimum of bath foam. With the jets on its froths up alarmingly, and can easily flood onto the floor and through the ceiling to the kitchen below.

3. YOUR SAFETY INSIDE

The obvious hazards, other than fire, burns and scalds, are:

The stairs

o Tom’s Barn has open tread stairs, with a rail. The stairs are now carpeted but could still be slippery in stockinged feet or slippers, so please take care and at all times use the handrail when using the stairs.

Douglas’s Barn has cast iron spiral stairs. We have protected the treads with wood, to prevent heels being caught in the original patterned treads.

The stairs have had safety grooves cut into each tread but could still be slippery in stockinged feet or slippers or socks.

We recommend using the rail and the central support at all times when using the stairs

Safety in the bath/room

We have provided handrails to help access to the bath in both barns.

Tom’s Barn bath is only accessible up two steps, and therefore is simply not safe for anyone with mobility problems or unhappy with having to climb up into or down out of a bath!

In Douglas’s Barn there is a more conventional set up, with no steps into the bath. The bath however is longer, and potentially someone could slip while sitting in it. We provide a non-slip mat, which should be placed in the bath.

In Douglas’s Barn there is a power shower over the bath. Please use the non-slip mat provided to prevent any danger of slipping while standing in the bath to take the shower.

We provide cotton bath mats to stand on when getting out of the bath with wet feet.

YOUR SAFETY OUTSIDE Orchard Farm is a former farm, in a very quiet and rural area, which is reasonably hilly with rough ground.

The lanes leading to and in the village are narrow, and full of blind bends, so walkers and cyclists must take particular care.

The slopes will provide no challenge for people enjoying good health and fitness, but anyone with a heart condition or mobility difficulties would find them very difficult.

We know from personal experience that it is very difficult to manage to push a wheelchair up or down them.

Parking and access to the barns

Guests park their cars in a specially designated (uncovered) parking spot near the barns across the ‘farmyard’ in the Orchard Farm grounds.

Guests can drive up to their front door to load and unload, but thereafter park approximately 20 meters away.

The surface of the ‘farmyard’ is limestone hardcore, and fairly rustic, with some larger, loose stones. It is not the place for high heeled shoes, and care should be taken at all times when walking across!

Please note that the paving can quickly become slippery when wet or icy.

Let us know if you need help carrying heavy loads into your barn, or up the stairs

Access to the garden Each holiday cottage has a table and chairs immediately outside, on an area of stone paving (which can quickly become slippery). Each cottage has its own private garden area:

Tom’s Barn’s garden is where an old brick lined grain store used to be. It is enchanting, but very bumpy and full of potential hazards for anyone with poor mobility or eyesight.

Douglas’s Barn has a stone paved terrace, raised from the ground. We have placed flowerpots along the edge, but potentially someone could fall 30 centimeters or so onto the grass below.

In our own garden we have a pond, which is not fenced, and therefore a real potential danger for children.

We welcome any suggestions to help us improve what we provide, or how we present the information. If you have any suggestions please phone us on 01335 390 519 or email us at tom@tomsbarn.co.uk John and Marion Fuller-Sessions Last Updated 14 August 2014